Traffic-directing apparatus



J. W-. CURRY.; TRAFFIC DIRECTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FiLED 0011.21 1918.

Patented June 21, 1921.

Inventor.

UNITED s'rar ss arsnr OFFICE.

JOHN W. CURRY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

TRAFFIC-DIRECTING APPARATUS.

Application filed October To all to 720m it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. CURRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Traffic-Directing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus to assist in the control of street trai'iic. One of its objects is to provide trafiic signal apparatus and a post of observation for traffic officers, and supporting means therefor, all of which will be out of the way and path of traffic, and advantageously placed for observation purposes. Another object is to provide an improved post of observation from which traflie signals may be directed and means to supportthe same. Another object is to provide an improved trafiic signal apparatus and means to support and actuate the same. My invention also comprises certain details of form, combination and arrangement, all of which will be fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved apparatus in position for use.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a perspective detail of a portion of the signal apparatus detached.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention in which A and B respectively represent upright posts, preferably of metal, which are preferably set inside of the curb on diagonally opposite corners at the intersection of two streets K and L but may be placed on opposite sides of a street wherever traffic regulating apparatus is required. The sidewalks are represented by 3 and the curbs by 4, and the buildings by 5.

At a height sufficient to be above the heads I of pedestrians on the sidewalk, and thus out of the way of wheeled and pedestrian traffic is mounted on one of the poles, say A, a platform or cage 6 to serve as a post of observation, and also as a housing and protect-ion from extremely hot or cold weather and storms for a traflic ofiicer. Said housing is preferably of octagonal outline provided with eight windows 7 and affording an unobstructed view up and down both streets and in all directions.

Above the cage 6, and of sufficient height Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 21, 1921. 1918. Serial No. 259,101.

to pass above and clear of the usual electric trolley wires 8, 9, 10, and 11 forming a crossmg at the intersection of the streets, is a strut or cross-bar 12', which connects the uprights A and B together, and is supported thereon. Tie rods 1 1 and 15 from the upper ends of the posts A and B to near the center of the cross-bar 12 are employed to give rigidity to the structure and prevent sagging of the central portion of the cross-bar 12. The cross-bar 12 is preferably a lightweight channel bar attached at its ends to the posts A and B by means of angle brackets 16'.

Vertically above the center of intersection of the streets, and mounted on the cross-bar 12 1s a vertical journal box 17 in which is gournaled a shaft 18 to the lower end of which are pivotally attached four signal arms 19. The pivotal movement of said arms relative to the shaft 18 is such that the arms when. in use occupy substantially horizontal positions, and are held by stop lugs 20 from falling below a horizontal position. When not under the control of a traflic ofiicer the arms 19 are drawn up against the sides of the shaft 18 to substan tially vertical positions as indicated in dotted line in Fig. 3. Small wires or cable 21 attached to the ends of the signal arms and loading over pulleys 22 and 23 to the observation cage enable the signal arms to be lifted to the vertical position when desired.

The shaft 18 is provided with stop lugs 24 to engage a stop on the cross-bar 12 to limit the rotary movement of the shaft 18 to substantially one quarter of a revolution. The shaft 18 is provided with a crank arm 25 which is pivotally connected to one end of a link 26. The opposite end of the link 26 is pivotally connected to one end of a bell-crank lever 27 which is pivotally attached to the crossbar 12 above the observation cage. A link 28 is pivotally attached at one end to the opposite end of the bell-crank lever, and the opposite end of link 28 is pivotally attached to one end of a hand lever 29. The hand lever is pivotally attached near its center to the post A within the cage. The traffic officer is thus enabled by movement of the hand lever to partially rotate the shaft 18 and expose the desired signals, say Stop and 10 to traflic on either street.

The shaft 18 extends down through the central opening between the trolley wires so that the signal arms are exposed to view below the trolley wires, and at the same time the signal arms are out of the path of the trolley poles, and are in position to be readily seen by foot and wheel traflic, and without in any way obstructing traffic, or being in danger of being run down by carelessness on the part of vehicle traflic. Also the traflic oflicer instead of being located on the street level where it is often difficult for him to ob tain a comprehensive view of the traffic, and where he is in danger of being run down, is in an elevated position where he has a free and unobstructed view of the traffic in all directions, where he is not himself an obstruction to tra-fiic, andwhere he is able to receive protection from the weather.

The apparatus herein illustrated and describediis capable of considerable modification Without departing from the principle of my invention.

What I claim is.

lpA trafiic directing apparatus comprising a substantially vertical rigid support located at one side of a street, an elevated rigid laterally projecting bar supported upon and at the upper end of said vertical member and overhanging the street, a vertically disposed signal shaft rotatably ournaled in a bearing rigidly mounted upon said laterally projecting bar at substantially the center of the street, means carried by said laterally projecting bar to engage a member carried by said signal shaft to limit the rotary movement of said shaft, signal arms carried by said signal shaft, an observers support carried at anintermediate position upon and by said'vertical support, and elevated above the street to afford the observer an unobstructed view over pedestrians and vehicles, and means operable from said observers support to rotatably actuate said signal shaft.

signature.

JOHN W. CURRY. 

